Revolutionaries Must Stamp Out The Poisonous Weed Of Gossip (2020)

Few things ruin people’s reputations and characters among others and undermines cohesion like gossip. Entertaining and spreading rumors and speculation about others is a poisonous practice in any social setting. It is especially dangerous among revolutionaries.

In revolutionary circles and organizations, gossip inherently generates factionalism, cliques, intrigue, and undermines the inherent trust and respect upon which camaraderie is based. It also creates and spreads negative, often false, information and perceptions about others that they are not given an opportunity to be heard in response to or to refute. Many sincere comrades have been pushed out of revolutionary ranks or made the target of ridicule and abuse as a result of gossip.

Furthermore, the pigs rely on it to spread misinformation generated by them to create division among revolutionaries, as they did with considerable effect with the original Black Panther Party Party.

We get it that people will talk, but the politically conscious have a higher level of responsibility and accountability to the masses and comrades, so they must observe and teach a higher level of principle in their conduct and speech.

As Mao pointed out, gossiping is a form of liberalism that is cancerous and divisive among revolutionaries. He noted that it generates decadent attitudes and political degeneration within revolutionary groups and individuals. It “eats away unity, undermines cohesion, causes apathy and creates dissension.” It is based on petty bourgeois individualism and puts one’s own interests before the masses and revolution – the petty bourgeoisie and lumpen have many similar traits. Among those proclaimed Marxists who engage in it, he noted, they hold others to the scientific principles of Marxism, but aren’t willing to practice it themselves.

“Liberalism,” he explained, manifests itself in various ways. Among them is, “To indulge in irresponsible criticism in private instead of actively putting forward one’s suggestions to the organization. To say nothing to people to their faces but to gossip behind their backs, or to say nothing at a meeting but to gossip afterwards. To show no regard at all for the principles of collective life but to follow one’s own inclination.”

As we have experienced problems with gossiping and unprincipled criticisms of people within the New Afrikan Black Panther Party and have combatted it with an ongoing rectification campaign, we recognize firsthand the dangers of comrades engaging in it.

But as some comrades have pointed out, this behavior is also a common practice among many revolutionaries and allies outside our Party, and needs to be combatted among them. It must be identified and combatted not only in our political relationships, but in our personal ones as well.

To the end of wiping out these tendencies we encourage everyone to struggle against them and toward developing the practice of speaking directly to others with concerns and questions respectfully and honestly, to the end of solving problems and building collective unity.

Dare to Struggle Dare to Win!
All Power to the People!